Reusable fall restrain supports and fall arrestor

ABSTRACT

A system for providing re-usable safety support fences and fall restraints for the construction industry. The system primarily comprises a disposable base which is welded to an I-beam or otherwise permanently attached to a floor or roof and a removable support post that screws into the disposable base. The support posts can form the posts of a safety fence through which steel cables are threaded to form the fence. On the other hand, a fall arrestor, comprising an eye hook onto which a construction or maintenance worker on the perimeter of a building may attach, can also be screwed into the permanently mounted disposable base. Additional embodiments for use with concrete construction instead of steel I-beams are disclosed. The basis for the invention is inexpensive disposable bases which remain an integral part of the structure after completion coupled with removable and re-useable post devices which screw into the disposable bases.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This Present Application is the non-provisional counterpart of USProvisional Application Serial No. 60/908,963 (hereinafter the '963Application) filed on Mar. 20, 2007. The Present Invention is related toUS Provisional Application No. 60/825,670 (hereinafter the '670Application) filed Sep. 14, 2006. Said '670 Application was incorporatedin its entirety by reference in the '963 Application. Both the '963Application and the '670 Application are incorporated by referenceherein. The Present Application claims the benefit of and priority tosaid '963 Application, and claims priority of invention based upon the'670 Application.

BACKGROUND

OSHA requires that construction workers who work on high rise buildingsbe protected from falling from high floors by restraining devices. TheOSHA requirement is for fall protection devices at building perimeters,interior stairwells, and elevator shafts over six feet above grade forall construction workers. The most common method used by contractors isto weld 4-ft 4-in×4-in×¼-in steel angles having holes drilled at theappropriate height to conform to OSHA requirements. Refer to FIG. 1. Theangle posts 3 are positioned vertically thereby forming support posts.OSHA requires that they be positioned no farther than eight feet apart.Two steel cables 5 are normally threaded horizontally through the holesconnecting the posts thereby forming a fence. The posts are welded toI-beam 2 at their bottom 4. A flooring material 1 then covers the weld.FIG. 2 shows a single angle bracket 3 welded to I-beam 2 at its bottom4. Steel cables 5 are then threaded through the holes.

Once basic construction of a story has been completed, the safety fenceis no longer required. Certainly, it must be removed prior to enclosureof the story. Once the steel cables are removed from the posts, postremoval is usually accomplished by cutting the post bracket at thefloor/roof line. Since, after cutting, the brackets now have a lengthshorter than the OSHA required 42-inches, the brackets cannot be re-usedon other stories. They then become scrap metal. Although somecontractors sell the used brackets to scrap metal dealers, mostcontractors are uninterested in recycling the metal. So, newlyfabricated posts must be used on subsequent story construction. This isan expensive procedure.

There have been a number of attempts to solve this problem by usingreusable protection systems. In almost all of these, each fence postcomprises a horizontal base and a vertical post. Normally, the base andpost form an integral unit. Now, these attempts at creating a reusablesupport include:

-   -   screwing the base to the floor;    -   clamping the base to the floor;    -   a combination of screwing and clamping the base to the floor;        and,    -   securing the base to the floor with a peg-in-slot mechanism.        Screwing the base to the floor is not practical when securing        the base to a steel I-beam. It also does not allow for an        attachment point for future use of accessories (i.e. Fall        arrestor) when base and post are one unit. Clamping devices do        not allow construction to be completed including “closing in”        the floors and roof without the removal of the device. If device        is removed during “closing in” then the purpose of protection is        defeated during that time. Of particular note is U.S. Pat. No.        4,480,819 issued to Keith Lopez on Nov. 6, 1984 for an        “Attachable/Detachable Railing Device.” Lopez teaches a post        that screws into a base which is secured to the grating of an        offshore oil platform using a peg-in-slot method. Therefore, the        entire post and base are reusable. However, building        construction uses I-beams and does not use gratings.

It is difficult to ascertain the commercial success of the Lopezinvention relative to the building construction industry because it wasdesigned primarily to be attached to offshore oil platform gratings. ThePresent invention is designed to function in the construction industry,particularly with regard to high-rise buildings. None of the prior arthas been implemented in this industry despite a long-felt need for amore cost-effective safety system. The Lopez peg-in-slot invention isimpractical for this application in this industry as there are no slotsor pegs to which this device can attach. They can come loose, and arecostly to install and remove. The only safe solution available whichmeets OSHA required standards is to weld the support posts to theI-beam. However, as stated previously, this tends to make the supportposts non-reusable. The Present Invention provides for a base plate witha removable support post. The base plate is welded to the I-beam, andthe support post is reusable.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The Present Invention is a system for providing re-usable OSHA compliantsafety support fences and fall restraints for the construction industry.The system primarily comprises a disposable base which is welded to anI-beam or otherwise permanently attached to a floor or roof and aremovable support post that screws into the disposable base. The supportposts can form the posts of a safety fence through which steel cablesare threaded to form the fence. On the other hand, a fall arrestor,comprising an eye hook onto which a construction or maintenance workeron the perimeter of a building may attach, can also be screwed into thepermanently mounted disposable base. Additional embodiments for use withconcrete construction instead of steel I-beams are disclosed. The basisfor the invention is inexpensive disposable bases which remain anintegral part of the structure after completion coupled with removableand re-useable post devices which screw into the disposable bases.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an isometric view of a prior art safety fence on a story underconstruction. Many fence posts appear in the drawing, and they arewelded to an I-beam.

FIG. 2 is an isometric view showing only one support post in the safetyfence. The drawing also shows the place where the fence post is weldedto the I-beam.

FIG. 3A is an isometric view showing a first embodiment of thedisposable base which is comprised in the Present Invention.

FIG. 3B is an isometric view showing a second embodiment of thedisposable base which is comprised in the Present Invention.

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of a removable support device havinga male screw thread securely fastened to the disposable base femalescrew thread.

FIG. 5 is an isometric view of a removable support fence post securelyfastened to the disposable base.

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of the cable support portion of the supportfence post of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of the support portion of the support fenceof FIG. 6 with a steel cable held securely in place.

FIG. 8 is a front elevational view of a portion of the safety fence. Thesteel cables are threaded through the support post which is secured tothe disposable base and which, in turn, is welded to an I-beam.

FIG. 9A is an isometric view of a corner of a safety fence welded toI-beams and using components of the Present Invention.

FIG. 9B is an elevational view of the corner of FIG. 9A.

FIG. 10 is an elevational view of the reusable fall arrestor.

FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view of the reusable fall arrestor securedto an I-beam.

FIG. 12A is an isometric view of a re-usable base plate welded to aplate used for re-roofing.

FIG. 12B is a top plan view of the re-usable base of FIG. 12A.

FIG. 12C is a front elevational view of the re-usable base of FIG. 12A.

FIG. 12D is a side elevational view of the re-usable base of FIG. 12A.

FIG. 13A is an isometric view of a two-part concrete base plate for usein structural concrete rather than steel I-beam construction.

FIG. 13B is a top plan view of the two-part concrete base plate of FIG.13A.

FIG. 13C is a front elevational exploded view of the two-part concretebase plate of FIG.13A.

FIG. 13D is a side elevational exploded view of the two-part concretebase plate of FIG.13A.

FIG. 14A is a top plan view of the recessed base plates located at abuilding perimeter every eight feet apart.

FIG. 14B is a cross section elevational view of the recessed baseplates. Note the removable fall arrestor positioned in the center of thedrawing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The reusable fall restraint support system comprises a disposable baseand a reusable post. The base is welded to the I-beam. The post is thenscrewed into the base. FIG. 3A and FIG. 3B are isometric drawings of twoslightly different embodiments the disposable base. This disposable base6 comprises a section of a C-Channel 7 and two nuts 8 and 9 havingfemale screw threads 10—the nuts being welded to opposite sides (top andbottom) of the “C” as shown. The two nuts act as female receptors intowhich the reusable post will be screwed. The disposable base is veryinexpensive to manufacture and can be sold for a very low price. Theembodiment of FIG. 3A uses hexagonal nuts, while the embodiment of FIG.3B uses square nuts. For another embodiment, a single nut with a femalescrew thread may be inserted into the hole in the top horizontal portionof the disposable base such that part of the nut protrudes above theoutside surface of the horizontal top portion, and part of the nutprotrudes below the inside surface of the horizontal top portion.Clearly other types of fasteners can be used. The base is positioned onthe I-beam with the web of the “C” higher than its two sides. The twovertical flanges 12 of the “C” are then welded at 11 onto the beam inthis position. In any event, the base becomes part of the structure.Once construction of the story has been completed and the safety fenceis no longer required, the reusable support post can be unscrewed fromthe base. The base remains in the beam. Usually the concrete floor isbuilt up so that the base will remain encapsulated within the floorafter construction is complete.

FIG. 4 shows how a reusable support post device having shaft 14 isfastened to the disposable base 6. At the bottom of the support post isa male screw thread 13 that mates with female screw thread 10 in nuts 8and 9. Screwing a support post into the disposable base plate meets theOSHA strength requirements for building fall arrestors.

FIG. 5 shows a typical reusable fall arresting support fence post 15screwed into a disposable base 6. At various fixed height positions(determined by OSHA) along the post 14 are cable supports 16 throughwhich steel cables may be threaded to form the fence. The cable supports16 have a unique design. However, the fence posts may also have holesdrilled through which the cables may be threaded. FIG. 6 is an isometricview showing the unique cable support 16 which is claimed in the PresentInvention. Two plates lock onto post 14 and sandwich a third platehaving steel fingers 17 and 18. Finger 17 is curved pointing upwardwhile finger 18 is curved pointing downward. Referring to FIG. 7, whenthreaded, steel cable 5 is locked into place by fingers 17 and 18. FIG.8 shows the re-usable fence construction. Only a single support post 15is shown. First, disposable bases 6 are welded onto I-beam 2 ateight-foot intervals. Then, re-usable support posts 15 are screwed intodisposable bases 6. Finally steel cables 5 are threaded through thecable supports 16 to form the fence. Once construction of the story orthe roof is complete, the cables are removed, the re-usable supportposts are unscrewed, and the disposable bases are covered up. Theybecome a permanent part of the structure.

Safety fences comprise a plurality of support posts 15 positioned allalong the building perimeter. However, a different structure is requiredwhen the fence turns a corner. FIG. 9A is an isometric view of a cornerpost assembly. The corner post assembly 19 comprises support post 15screwed into a disposable base 6 and adjustable rods 21 attached tosmall posts 20 which in turn are both screwed into disposable bases. Thecable supports 16 on post component 15 allow the threaded cables to turncorners. By increasing the length of the adjustable rods 21, force isapplied to the support post 15 and the small posts 20. The net effect ofthese force vectors is an outward force. FIG. 9B is a front elevationalview of the corner post assembly.

After construction has been completed, and the safety fences have beenremoved, the disposable base plates still remain securely welded to thestructure. At times, workers need to work on these completed orpartially completed structures. FIG. 10 shows a unique fall arrestordevice 22 that screws into the disposable base plates that are part ofthe structure. The fall arrestor comprises an eye bolt 23 that screwsinto a re-usable base assembly. As currently configured a re-usable baseassembly would comprise a 1-inch pipe ,25, a 3/16×9 inch base plate, 27,a 4 3/16 inch gusset, 26, welded to the pipe and base. The 1-inch pipeprotrudes, 28, through the bottom of the base plate, 27. The eye bolt isthreaded throughout most of its length. It is secured to the pipe usinga 1-inch nut, 24. The threaded bottom of the eye bolt, 29, protrudesfrom the bottom of the pipe, 28. This screw thread from the eye boltwill screw into one of the disposable bases welded to the I-beam. Thecombination eye bolt and re-usable assembly securely attached to adisposable base provides excellent safety for workers. The worker onlyneed hook onto the eye bolt, and he will be protected should heaccidentally fall off the side of the building. The fall arrestor systemprovides a mechanism for construction workers to tether themselves ontoregularly and conveniently placed removable eye bolts so that they canwork at the perimeter of the building.

FIG. 11 is a cross sectional view showing an installed fall arrestor 22.The eye bolt is pushed through the re-usable base assembly, and thebottom of the eye bolt is screwed into a disposable base that is weldedto an I-beam 2 at weld junctions 31. The disposable base had beenpreviously covered with flooring material, such that the base 27 of thefall arrestor can be forced into secure contact with the floor 30. Anadditional embodiment of the fall arrestor is to use a D-ring instead ofan eye bolt.

The above system base plate and support post save in excess of 1 ½ hoursper unit during installation and removal. The posts will be reused(recycled) as opposed to the previous practice where they werediscarded. The savings to the construction industry is substantial.After roof installation, the perimeter is left with the bases (refer toFIG. 16) positioned every eight feet (8′-0″ O.C.). A six-inch patchidentifies location of the base plate for future use.

To now install a fall arrestor, one only needs cut an “X” into thesix-inch patch, and install the eyebolt and gusset support into the baseplate. When it is no longer needed, the eyebolt is unscrewed, the gussetis removed, and installation can proceed in a different six-inch patch.

Referring to FIG. 12, another embodiment 32 of the invention comprisesthe use of a base 6 attached to a plate 33 with holes 34 designed toallow long screws to be screwed into a work surface, attaching there-usable base for the purposes of re-roofing. Welding the base is not apossibility in such cases when the I-beam is not available, so a platewith a dispersed pattern of sites to have the plate screwed into theedge of the work surface is necessary. FIG. 12A is an isometric view ofthe re-useable base. FIG. 12B is a front elevational view, while FIG.12C is a side elevational view. Note that the base 6 is welded to theplate 33 at weld seams 35 on either side of the C-Channel.

FIG. 13 shows a concrete base plate 36 for use in structural concreterather than steel I-beam construction. This concrete base plate can besecured with rebar and/or by screws to framing prior to pouringconcrete. It fits and mates with standard re-usable posts. FIG. 13A isan isometric view showing a three- part assembly. Two right anglebrackets 39 are screwed into the floor surface via holes on surface 44(shown in FIG. 13B and FIG. 13C. These brackets 39 will be covered withpoured concrete up to a certain height. Holes 41 appear in two columnsalong the vertical surfaces of brackets 39. Mating holes appear in theC-Channel device 40. The holes 41 of the upper assembly 40 mate withtheir corresponding holes in lower assembly 39. The two-parts are heldtogether with bolts 42 and nuts 43. FIG. 13B is a top plan view of theassembly, while FIG. 13C and FIG. 13D are front and side elevationalviews, respectively.

1. A modular system having mostly re-usable components for fall restrainsupport and fall arrest of construction and maintenance workers on theperimeters of roofs and incomplete stories of building constructionsites, said system comprising: a) at least one disposable basepermanently attached to an I-beam, a floor or a roof, said disposablebase comprising: a section of a C-Channel with a top horizontal portionand two vertical flanges extending downward, forming an outside surfaceand an inside surface between the two vertical flanges; a cylindricalhole passing though the top horizontal portion from the outside surfaceto the inside surface; a top nut comprising a cylindrical hole having adiameter and a center and further comprising a female screw thread, saidtop nut being welded to the top horizontal portion on the outsidesurface so that a line extended through the center of the cylindricalhole of the top nut coincides with a line extended through the centercylindrical hole passing through the top horizontal portion of theC-Channel; and, a bottom nut comprising a cylindrical hole having the acenter and a diameter equal to that of the top nut and with a femalescrew thread having a pitch equal to that of the top nut, said bottomnut being welded to the top horizontal portion on the inside surface sothat a line extended through the center of the cylindrical hole of thebottom nut coincides with a line extended through the center of thecylindrical hole passing through the top horizontal portion of theC-Channel and further coincides with the line passing through the centerof the cylindrical hole of the top nut; (b) at least one re-usable postpositioned vertically and having a vertical height, wherein saidre-usable post further comprises a cylindrical bottom portion, saidcylindrical bottom portion further comprising a male screw thread havinga pitch that mates with the female screw thread of both the top nut andbottom nut; wherein, when use of the system is desired, the at least onere-usable post is screwed into the at least one disposable base throughboth the top nut and the bottom nut, so as to securely stand up in avertical position; and, wherein, when use of the system is no longerdesired, the at least one re-usable post may be removed by unscrewing.2. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one disposable base iswelded to an I-beam at the outside surface of both vertical flanges. 3.The system of claim 1 further comprising a plurality of disposable basesand a plurality of re-usable posts, both being of the same number. 4.The system of claim 3 wherein each of the re-usable posts furthercomprise at least one element to accommodate the threading of a cable.5. The system of claim 4 wherein the at least one element to accommodatethe threading of a cable comprises a two metal fingers, one fingerpointing upward and the other pointing downward, wherein the cable isthreaded between the two fingers.
 6. The system of claim 4 furthercomprising at least one cable threaded through the element toaccommodate the threading of a cable of each of the plurality ofre-usable posts.
 7. The system of claim 6 wherein the plurality ofdisposable bases, the plurality of re-usable posts, and the at least onecable form a safety fence, wherein said safety fence forms a perimeter.8. The system of claim 7 further comprising a corner post assemblypositioned at a corner of the perimeter where the fence changesdirection, said corner post assembly comprising: a) a re-usable cornerpost substantially identical to each of the other re-usable posts of theplurality of re-usable posts, wherein said reusable corner post isremovably attached to a disposable base positioned at the corner of thepost, and through which at least one cable is threaded so as to changedirection; b) two short re-usable posts, comprising a vertical heightless than the vertical height of the other re-usable posts that form thefence, wherein two intersecting lines are formed, one line between oneshort re-usable post and the re-usable post positioned at the corner,and the other line between the other short re-usable post and thereusable post positioned at the corner, and wherein said lines intersectat the post positioned at the corner; and, c) two extension rods havingadjustable lengths, wherein each extension rod is connected to andpositioned between one of the two short re-usable posts and there-usable post positioned at the corner, and wherein the length of eachextension rod is adjusted so as to increase tension on the at least onecable.
 9. The system of claim 1 wherein the at least one re-usable postfurther comprises an eye bolt.
 10. The system of claim 1 wherein the atleast one disposable base further comprises: a) a plurality ofthrough-holes passing through both of the two vertical flanges of theC-Channel, said through-holes in each vertical flange passing completelyfrom the outside surface to the inside surface; b) two right-anglebrackets, the sides of which are substantially perpendicular, whereinone side of each right-angle bracket comprises through-holes passingcompletely through the side; c) fasteners that pass through thethrough-holes each right-angle bracket and the through-holes in each ofthe two vertical flanges of the C-Channel; wherein an assembly is formedbetween the two right angle brackets and the C-Channel, such that: aright-angle bracket is removably attached to each vertical flange of theC-Channel in such a way that one side of each right-angle bracket ispositioned vertically and the other side of each right-angle bracket ispositioned horizontally. some of the through-holes in the verticallypositioned side of each right-angle bracket are positioned to mate withsome of the through holes of each vertical flange of the C-Channel toenable fastening of the right angle brackets to each vertical flangeusing the fasteners; and, the vertical sides of each of the tworight-angle brackets are fastened to the vertical flanges of theC-Channel such that the vertical height of the disposable base is madegreater and the horizontally positioned sides of both of the right anglebrackets are positioned in a direction away from each other.
 11. Thesystem of claim 10 further comprising through-holes passing through thehorizontally positioned sides of both right-angle brackets so as toenable fasteners to pass through said through-holes in a manner as tofasten the disposable base to a roof or floor.
 12. The system of claim11 wherein the fasteners that fasten the disposable base to the roof orfloor is a rebar.
 13. The system of claim 10 wherein the disposable baseis held in position on a roof or floor by pouring cement or concrete tocover a portion of the disposable base.
 14. The system of claim 1wherein the disposable base is welded to a portable metal plate at theoutside surface of the vertical flanges to form a re-roofing baseassembly such that the weld junctions between the disposable base andthe metal plate are the ends of both vertical flanges.
 15. The system ofclaim 14 wherein the metal plate of the re-roofing base assemblycomprises through-holes.
 16. The system of claim 15 wherein at least onere-usable post is screwed into at least one re-roofing base assembly.17. The system of claim 1 wherein the top and bottom nuts are merged toform a single nut with a female screw thread, with said single nut beinginserted into and passing through the center cylindrical hole in theC-channel so that a line extended through the center of the cylindricalhole of the single nut coincides with a line extended through the centercylindrical hole passing through the horizontal top portion of theC-Channel, and such that part of the nut protrudes above the outsidesurface of the horizontal top portion, and part of the nut protrudesbelow the inside surface of the horizontal top portion.